Improvement in water-wheels



im ENT QR y@ @ab N.PETEHb. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. Dv C.

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THOMAS H. POWERS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISOON SIN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, GEORGE E. BURNHAM, AND DANIEL G. ROGERS, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 101,036, dated March 22, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WOHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part o! the sameA I, THOMAS H. POWERS, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ot' Wisconsin, have invented certain Improvements in Tater-Wheels, of which the following is a specicatiou.

Nature mul Object of the Intention.

The nature of my invention is to give direction to the water on the wheel, so as to get the greatest amount of power ont of it, by employing the`centrifugal force ofthe water ontbe wheel, by applying it near the center, and discharging it at or near the periphery ot' the wheel.

Description of the Drawings Accompanying and F o roning Pa/rt of th 'is Specification.

Figure I is a side view.

Figure II is a sectional View.

Figure III is a top View of the wheel.

VFigure IV is a top view of the gate and gate-case, and the apparatus for opening the gate. l

A is the bottomof the fiume, through which there are holes made of the proper slant for the water to pass through the gate to the wheel.

B, the outside curb of the wheel. This curb is fastened to the outside of the buckets, and revolves with the wheel.

G, the buckets of the wheel. These buckets startfrom near the cent-er of the wheel, and wind around the wheel a quarter turn, more or less, and swell ont and discharge the Water near the outside ofthe wheel, forming the frustum of a cone.

D, the wheel-shaft.

E, the step of the shaft. l

F, an iron case for the gate, with openings through it for the water to pass through to the wheel. This case has a flange' on its bottom, which comes down over the top of the wheel, and is fitted and fastened to the bottom of the urne, and the wheel revolves its top in this case.

G, the gate. This gate is a llat circular plate of metal, with-holes in it corresponding with the holes in the case and the bottom of the flume. and is operated by the arm H, which is attached to it.

The pinion I and shaft K are turned to open or close the gate, and let on water, or shut it oft, as desired.

L is the central piece of the wheel.

To put this wheel in operation, when it is set under the bottom oi` a flume, and the fiume is filled wit-l1 water, turn shaft K, and pinion I, meshing into arn'i H, will revolve the gate, and let water to the wheel. The-.water enters the buckets, and its weight, pressing on them, turns the wheel, and, as it passes down over the buckets, it runs out, as shown, und discharges near the periphery of' the wheel, this giving centrifugal inotion as well as weight, and I claim adds power to the wheel. l

Claims.

I claim as my inventionl. A water-wheel, consisting of central piece L, shaft D, buckets C, and shell B, substantially as described.

2. Gate-case F, gate G, arm H, pinion 1', and shaft- K, substantially as described.

H. POWERS. 

